How early should I arrive at GABF

You're not here yet. UH OH

 

well, you'll wait either way. I got there about an hour before, and made it in within the first 5 mins of opening... but I hear if you get there when they open it'll only take 20-30 to get in.

So it's a coin toss.

 

I got a late start heading into town last year, and ended up at pretty much the very end of the line. We're talking wrapped around the entire center and down some "alleyway". Still had a glass in my hand within 35 minutes.

They usually post a picture of some people wanting to be the first ones in. I think those pop up around 1:30.

 

the line is long and intimidating (insert joke here), but it goes quick (another joke). You could either wait in line, standing. Or, have a beer at a local pub and walk to the convention center at the time it opens, and by the time you get there the line should be moving along

 

A beer immediately before walking into GABF sounds like poor planning.

 

well, it will take 10-15min to walk there, 10 min in line. A bit of a lull, but a plastic bottle can fix that

 

your time in denver is precious, as others suggested, your time is better spent drinking somewhere else rather than waiting in line. i would trade missing 20-30 mins of GABF, over waiting 2-3 hours in line to get in there during the first 5-10 mins

 

I actually tend to go the opposite direction...but I'm a weirdo. I tend to get in line about an hour to 1:30 early and have a plan of attack to cruise through the festival to get my must-have items before the bulk of the line crowds the place up. Then I can relax and leisurely grab the other stuff as the night wears on.
While I could be drinking somewhere else instead of waiting in line...I can only drink so much in one day, plus I've already paid for GABF tickets. Might as well make the most of 'em instead of paying more to drink elsewhere. In most cases I also leave a bit early so I can get some food before the massive exit rush kicks in, too.

 

Is there a concern about certain beers running out before you can get some? Or is it more trying to avoid a mob scene at certain tables?

I've never been to GABF.

 

More of a mob scene in most cases. Some places will run out of things pretty quickly (New Glarus), but honestly - there's a massive line for them before the general public even gets in. The first 20-30 minutes of GABF are MUCH less crowded than say, at 8PM, so I'd rather get in early and get what I want fast before things get crazy and the bathroom lines become 200 yards long. Lots of places have started staggering their releases to avoid the massive early rush, but there are still a bunch of stalwarts that open everything ASAP and when it's gone, it's gone.

 

Are the crowds enough to ruin the experience? I've been to certain festivals/events (beer or otherwise), and sometimes the crowds are just too much, no matter how good the prodcut may be.

 

I guess it depends on if you hate large crowds. Personally, I don't think so. It's still fun and the best place to try thousands of new beers you'll ever see. The crowds are more of an inconvenience than a serious problem. Even the longest lines only take a minute or two...with the exception of the restroom line. That's the only real issue with the crowd.

It sounds assholish - but if you want to get through a crowded area, just hold your taster up, act like you're doing something important, and keep saying "get out of my way - comin' through!" Even the drunkest of people will clear a path for you

 

Show up at 6:30 and walk right in, no waiting

 

This is why I attend the members-only session. Less people, less crowds. But, you do run the risk of beers running out. If a beer is popular enough, it can be gone before Saturday just from the Thu & Fri sessions.

As far as how early to arrive, I'm a middle of the pack type. I get there between 30 and 60 minutes early. The line is usually just rounding the big corner in the back of the convention center and the wait there to get through the doors last year was an amazingly fast 10-15 minutes...not bad IMO.

 

Figure I will be going to Freshcraft at 3 ish tomorrow anyway for Apple Cinnamon IPA (sounds...out there) from Cigar City. Just make the walk over to the line when I'm done there but I generally get there ~45 mins before hand. That being said there is now a members line? this year. Really need to find out where that is since I have AHA tickets.

 

I think arriving about an hour early has been fine the last few years. The line looks really long but moves so quickly it's hard to warrant getting there any earlier than that wasting time, IMO.

 

If you want to avoid the line outside altogether, show up about 20 minutes after it starts, everyone will be in side by then. You'll still have 4+ hours to enjoy the beer.